1/72 Hasegawa AH-1S Cobra

Gallery Article by Patrick Vossenberg on Oct 13 2016

 

      

This is Hasegawa's 1/72 AH-1S Cobra kit, that I converted into an IAF "Tzefa".

The kit has great surface detail with finely recessed panel lines/rivets and has very good fit overall. The cockpit is very basic though, so I applied a PE set from MPM (by Eduard) to upgrade it. This PE set also contains some detail elements for the exterior fuselage that I used as well. To complete my IAF conversion, I scratch-built the various search lights, sensors, antennae and of course the very distinctive chaff/flare dispensers that can be found on these helicopters.

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Paints are Humbrol enamels, mixing the required colors per the instructions that come with the great decals from Sky's Decals. The yellow chevrons were masked and painted on. Weathering consists of a combination of pre-shading of selected areas, panel fading, panel line washes (using a deep grey enamel wash), oil washes (burnt umber) and a bit of drybrushing. Exhaust stains were airbrushed on the tail boom as a final touch.

The depicted chopper is no. 393 from IAF's Southern Cobra Sqn, around 2012.

Regards to all,

Patrick Vossenberg

Photos and text © by Patrick Vossenberg